Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-14
AT CONCORD.
The Railroad Fight Resumed in the New
Hampshire LegislatuTe-Conso solidation
and the Advantages to be Derived from
it by fhe State.
CoScoRn n Fl San, ~

CONCORD, n. b., Sept. IL.
In the New Hampshire House this fore
nooa the petition of John w Morse and l9l
other citizens of Bradford, 10 favor of the
passage of the Hazen bill was received and
tabled.
The debate on the railroad question was
resumed st Ills. Mr.. Sawyer of Manches
ter, spoke in favor of the Hazen bill. He
said that in what he might say he would rep
resent the sentiment of the people of his city,
something the gentleman who had preceded
him, Mr.. Sullowsy of Manchester, had not
done. As q member of the legislature in 1888
he had voted for the Colby bill with some
misgivings, but since that time he had not
been chided for bis action. Manchester had
great interests at stake in this controversy,
and her business men had considered it we'll
and knew what they wanted. He had con-
suited many business men in this city. Five
sevenths were in favor of the Hszen bill,
while the remainder were divided for the
Atherton bill and no legislation. He took
no stock in the howl that had been raised
against foreign corporations. Foreign cor
porations had made Manchester what it is
and if The railroads had kept faith the city
would have been one third larger than it now
is. He knew of an enterprise that had been
driven out of the city by this same narrow
policy. He wanted a change and so did the
people of Manchester. He did not believe in
saving off the railroads at the State line, or
6amming up waters, or in crippling resources
in any way. In closing, he strongly urged
the passage of the Hazen bill.
Mr.. Branet of Weare, followed on the
same side. He said the railroads are crea-
tions of law and controlled BY it. They are
of necessity monopolized by contract with the
State to become public servants. The gold
en- idea of the time when they will cease to
be monopoli7ed will never be realized. Con
struction, competition and land consolidation
are three periods in the railroads of this
country. Construction and compel ton was
passed and consolidation under State control
is now upon US. Competition was tried and
found disastrous. Consolidation under State
control is the only policy in railroading that
has given the public the best attainable ser
vice. The advantages of consolidation are
enormous savings in operating expenses and
greater despatch in transmitting business.
Then, too, it places the responsibility upon
few and creates greater care in the manage
ment of lines This saving in operating ex-
peuses results in a reduction in fares and
freights and secures to the public better ser
vice and accommodations Despite the state
ment of the gentleman from Manchester,
(Mr. Sulloway) that the Northern and Mon
treal came here without an invitation, that
road could not make any equitable terms
with the Concord and they went to Lowell.
What reason had they for not making con
tract with the Concord if they could do so on
equitable terms? That was one invitation to
Lowell to come here, and the eight .enth sec
tion of the Colby bill, passed in 1885, was
another The lease of the Northern to the
Lowell since the decision of the supreme
court in the Dow case, was said to be an act
of duphcity, and was done by q subterfuge.
The Concord had been the party guilty OF
duplicity. They thought they had the North
ern where they could dictate terms and they
proposed to do so. The Concord would not
take a lease under any circumstances unless
the Northern road would agree to sell its four
thousand shares of Concord railroad stock to
the friends of the Concord. The directors of
the Northern, finding they could do nothing,
looked elsewhere. Three days after the
Concord directors learned that the Lowell
was liable to lease the Northern, all previous
objections were waived and they offered six
per cent for ninety nine years Then it was
too late. 1t is claimed that the Boston &
Lowell did not come in good faith. Such an
assertion was groundless. The Lowell did
come in good faith and as an error had been
found by the supreme court in the Colby bill
the only object of the Hazen bill was to per-
feet it. 1t was dishonorabe in the Concord
to oppose this request of the Lowell, to per-
feet the bill under which they come into the
State. The speaker did not believe the State
would commit dishonorable act by refusing
their requests.
At this point the speaker suspended his ar
gument and the House adjourned until two
, o'clock this afternoon
( The Senate this afternoon passed a bill
providing that no railroad car in the State be
heated by any method unless approved by the
railroad commissioners